Seal



` April 8, 1952 R. KREIMENDAHL SEAL Filed Sept. 15, 1948 www INVENTOR. RODNEY KREIMENDAHL A ent Patented Apr. 8, 1952 Rodney Kreimendahl', North Hollywood, Calin,

`aseig'nor Lto Lockheed Burbank, Calif.

Aircraft `Corporation,

ApplicatnnfSepteiber 15, 1948, Serial Nth-'49,4119

.2 Glaims. i invention relates to :a :sealing :strip for closures, particularly of the :pressure and fluid sealing types `such as weather stripping.

It is .an .object :off this invention `to provide an Y :eiective'weatherandpressureiightlsealrfor movable closures, particularly doors of vehicles and airplanes subject to 4severe service. It .is aparticular object-.of this :invention to provide adouble vacting .seal operating *to seal kthe margins .oi a :closure zagainst both external .and internal leakage of ar or `other fluids.

I have chosen to :illustrate frny invention fin connection with both airplane .closures subject to positive internal pressure differentials, 'and to refrigerator closures: although my invention is equallyapplicable to vehicle and other doors subject to frequent -use 4where rain and drafts must be excluded :from the enclosure to which the door provides access, as well `as Vpreventing loss or entrance of heat, dust, fumes, `or the like. from such enclosure.

My *invention takes the form of oppositely disposed diverging nexi-ble vflaps or'beads supported on a common relatively narrow neck parallel to the length of a base or mounting strip, and so arranged that contact between the mating surface of the closure or frame and the flaps or beads serves to increase the pressure of both flaps against such surface due to distortion and tensioning of the material connecting the opposite flaps or beads.

Other lobjects, and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:l

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an airplane fuselage having a cargo door hinged at its top;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section on the line 2-2 of Figure l slowing one form of sealing strip arrangement adjacent the door hinge with the door partly open; c

Figure 3VV is an enlarged detail section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the sealing strip applied tothe side of the door, with the door closed;

Figure 4 shows an alternative form of seal embodying a bead, with the closure ajar;

Figure 5 corresponds to Figure 4 with the closure sealed; and

Figure 6 illustrates the distortion of the sealing strip of Figure 4 due to seating of the closure.

As shown on the drawing:

The form of sealing strip shown in Figures 2 and 3 is especially useful for airplane doors l0 and the like where it ,is adesired :to maintain a positive atmospheric pressure fdi-ierential within an airplane 4I-I. The alternate -form ,of sealing strip shown in `Figures 4 to 6 is equally suitable for such use but Ais shown as applied `to 1a refrigerator `,door -I2 ywherein no ,differential pressure is encountered. rIhe iirst tor-m of sealing strip is also usable with refrigerators. but `the bead -of the .second form is preferred .for the latter use.

Asbest shown in Figure v2, the door l o .is shi-n ged at its top by a piano hinge I3, the .opening in the airplane having a `flanged frame i4 defining a surface 1li substantially evenly :spaced from .a lip i6 .around the edge :0i the door, the :space between the surface iii andv lip I 6 being occupied by 'the 4sealing strip of this invention, which may be mounted k,on .either the ,door or its frame Aas fdesired, but as shown ris mounted .on the door lip.

The sealing strip of Figures 2 and 3 `:comprises an integral one-piece :molding or extrusion made 'from rubber-like .elastic material. lA iiat base strip I"I is 'provided `for attachment to ,the door lor its frame, as desired, which base strip has a pair of eppositel-y disposed naps I8 and IISI torm- :ing an obtuse angle with each other :and joined together and to the base strip by a neck 20.

As used in an airplane, the flap I8 is disposed over and at an acute angle to the base strip forming a horizontal V open to the interior of the airplane so that positive pressure therein tends to open or expand the V to force the free edge 2I of the flap into sealing contact with the mating part of the door and frame structure. This flap is so disposed that its free edge is initially distorted by closure of the door, so that air pressure adds to the sealing effect. With this arrangement a higher internal pressure increases the sealing pressure.

The second, oppositely extending flap I8 has its free edge 22 so disposed as to be initially distorted by contact with the door and/or frame structure, and such distortion applies tension on the other flap I8 to increase its initial pressure against the mating surface. The nap I 9 also acts as a Weather strip to prevent entrance of external air or water which might lift the flap I8. The iiap I9 disposed along the hinge side, as in Figure 2, is subject to some drag or rolling action against the surface I5 as the door is closed, which is prevented by rounding the edge 22. On the free sides of the door a less Y degree incipient rollingaction is involved be-y cause the nap I9 spreads as it is compressed. i y

The modied form of sealing strip shown in 3 Figures 4 tc 6 substitutes a bead 23 for the second flap i 9 above described, and the neck 20' supports the bead 23 in spaced relation from the surface of the door l2 on which the base strip is mounted. Since this form is shown in connection with a refrigerator, the door frame thereof is indicated by the reference number `241 and as' such refrigerator doors usually have a pan 25 forming the inside surface of the door the edges of the pan may be utilized to clamp the sealing strip base strip I1' to the door, the ilap I8' of the seal in turn concealing the edge of the pan.

With this arrangement, closing of the door I2 distorts the iiap I8 and compresses the bead between the mating surfaces of the refrigerator and thefdoor, the bead 23 being simultaneously displaced into contact with the door surface. Such displacement of the bead rocks the neck 2 sufficiently t apply additional tension and sealing pressure tov the iiap I 8.

In both illustrated forms of my' invention the door is sealed to its frame against both ingress and egress of uids, thus being capable of re' taining a positive internal pressure while sealing against entrance of water and the like, one sealing flap or bead also being arranged to reinforce the other nap to increase the effectiveness of the seal as well as to provide oppositely directed seals expandable by fluid pressure from either direction. l f

Having thus described my invention and the present preferred embodiments thereof, I desire to emphasize the fact that many modificationsmay be resorted to in a manner limited only'by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1: As an article of manufacture, a doubleacting sealing strip comprising a rubber-like member having a base portion for mounting thereof, a first flap integral with an overlying said base portion and extending at an acute angle to said base portion, a second nap integral with and projecting forwardly and laterally from one edge of said base portion at an obtuse angle to said base portion, said flaps being connected to and merging with one another and with said base portion through a exible neck portion for conjoint action when either ap is deflected from its normal position, the adjacent surfaces of the two naps being disposed at an obtuse angle to one another and the second flap projecting forwardly of the adjacent surface of the iirst fiap whereby both flaps may contact at spaced points a closure surface parallel to the surface on which the base strip is mounted.

,2. A double acting sealing strip to prevent both inward and outward leakage, together with adjacent substantially parallel surfaces of a movable closure and frame, said sealing strip comprising a iiat rubber like base strip for mounting on one of the adjacent surfaces, a narrowed neck portion connected to said base strip, a rst sealing flap connected to said narrowed neck portion in spaced relation to said movable closure, in'such position as to be deformed by contact with the closure when the closure is parallel to 'the surface on which the base strip is'mounted,

and a second sealing flap integrally connected to the first sealing flap and -said narrowed neck portion, said second sealing flap projecting forwardly of the base strip and overlying the same in diverging spaced relationship'thereto in a p0- sition to have the free end of said second flap deformed by said closure when the closure is parallel to the frame, said two aps having conjoint rocking motion relative to the base through the connection therebetween when pressure is applied to either by said closure, and said two flaps being positioned to contact said parallel surface at spaced points. y

RODNEY KREIMENDAHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

